The Choices We Make
by Jag-Fel
Summary: Slightly AU. After "The Best Chrismukkah Ever", Seth tries to make his decision. [SS, RMA]
1. Choice to be made

The Choices We Make

Author: Jag-Fel

Genre: Romance/Drama

Era/Setting: Season 2

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Notes: SS, RM/A A little OC Alternate Universeness starting from Chrismukkha.

* * *

I never could understand why Seth made so many stupid decisions regarding Summer (choosing Anna, leaving for the summer, taking her for granted, etc.), so I decided to try my hand at rewriting instead of inserting an original character.

* * *

Fighting an oppressive sigh, Seth Cohen sat back on the sofa in the little room Summer had led him to for his 'gift'. Man, Summer had been Wonder Woman, but then, Anna had hand-written a comic book. Somehow both gifts reflected the girl who had given them; Summer showing off her bold personality and Anna showing off her intellectual flair. Summer had just finished stripping out of her party dress and into the comic book outfit and roped Seth into a kiss when Anna had walked in, effectively ruining the moment.

Seth lay down and rested his arms behind his head. The girls had given him an ultimatum; he had to choose one of them before someone got hurt. Part of Seth wished that the answers had come to him earlier, that there had never been a conflict of sorts between the two women in his life. But no, life was never that simple, not even for a guy who'd had nobody in his life just months earlier. Now, here he was, overwhelmed by the scale of it all.

The whole night had been a surrealistic nightmare. Both girls were pulling in every possible direction. Ever since they had caught him running between them, everything had been a mess. He'd been foolish to try and be with two girls at once, but seriously, could he be blamed? They personify everything he wants in a woman, except there's two of them, so _women_.

So here was the debacle, the no-holds-barred, for-all-the-gravy, over-the-fence, just-gotta-make-a-damn-decision issue. There was Anna, the seemingly female version of himself, who could almost be his sister… _eww, much?_; and Summer, the girl he'd been crushing on for as long as he could remember.

_Remember the squirrels, Seth? And the mermaid poem?_

_But Anna's like a refuge from the Newpsies. She's into comic books, for Jesus' and Moses' sakes!_

_Yes, but Summer is _Summer_. You know, short girl, gorgeous dark hair, eyes like puddles of mud that you could just drown in?_

_Tell me you didn't just analogize Summer's eyes as puddles of mud._

_I'm afraid I did, but wait, am I talking to myself? Or worse, arguing with myself!_

_Yup._

_Oh dammit. Must. Find. Ryan._

_Go for it, Casanova._

Surged on by his divine purpose – and desire to escape his own eccentric mind-ramblings – Seth burst forth from the small room where he'd just minutes ago been confronted by Summer and Anna, desperately trying to find his closest friend. He emerged just in time to witness the minute squabble between Ryan and Marissa, the latter no doubt slightly inebriated from something other than eggnog.

Great, no Ryan. Seth couldn't turn to his parents, and neither Summer nor Anna was anywhere to be found. This Chrismukkah was definitely one that would not soon be forgotten.

The party was quieting down by midnight, but many guests hung around for a few hours after. Seth tried to keep to himself, avoiding most everyone who neared him. His dad walked by, offering a look of knowing sympathy, as if he'd been privy to the night's events. Sandy Cohen sat down beside a distraught looking Seth, leaning into the patio chair.

"How'd it go, son?" Sandy asked.

Seth looked up from the ground just briefly to fix his dad with a look that resembled something between blunt irony and trauma. "Magical, father, just magical. Can you believe I started this night out with two, count them, _two_ women, but I sit here now with a number somewhere below zero?"

"Is that even possible?"

"It seems so," Seth huffed wearily.

Sandy sighed for them both. "Well, we're heading home. Maybe things will look different in a new light tomorrow."

"We can only hope."

By morning things only seemed more distant. Seth lay in bed for hours, staring at the ceiling, just trying to find the motivation to get out of bed. But it wasn't coming. He rolled over onto his stomach so his face was buried deeply into the pillow and groaned. He still hadn't come closer to a decision, even after the conversations with himself and his father.

Resolving on at least asking Ryan before he contacted the girls, Seth rolled out of bed and marched downstairs to the kitchen. As reliable as always, Ryan was seated at the island, but Seth walked by and looked out the window onto another perfect Newport day.

"Hey man," Ryan greeted, turning his spoon in his cereal. "Rough night?"

Seth spun around. "Ryan, buddy, the Punisher had a rough night when his family was killed. Spiderman had a rough night after he fought the Green Goblin. I, Ryan, have had a terrible night."

"So the girls confronted you, eh?"

"They did at that. An ultimatum was given."

"Choose?"

"Yep," Seth muttered, suddenly afraid that this conversation with Ryan was eerily similar to the brief exchange his mind had created the night before. Seth wasn't quite sure, though, whether he was more scared of the fact that he'd been talking to himself, or that one of his 'mental voices' sounded not unlike Ryan.

Ryan tipped his orange juice glass back. "That must have been interesting."

"It was," Seth admitted. "And you? Any Chrismukkah miracles heading your way?"

"Well, Marissa got drunk, there was a cop, broken tail light... y'know, the usual."

Seth blinked spasmically for a few moments. "Ryan, what should I do?"

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "About the girls? Uh, pick?"

"You know it's not that easy. I mean, well, it is, but there's the whole subliminal unconscious peoples' feelings thing that lies beneath the whole surface of this matter. Like, if I choose Anna, it'll upset Summer, but if I choose Summer, then Anna's getting hurt."

"Man," Ryan muttered. "You're making this too difficult."

Seth threw his hands up in the air, waving them around frantically. "But it is too difficult, Ryan."

"If you can't choose, don't then."

The ganglier of the two froze for a moment. "You mean like keeping leading them on and enjoying the company of each?"

"No," Ryan fixed a significant glare on Seth. "I mean just ask them to be friends. Aren't two friends better than nothing?"

Seth hefted himself up onto the counter to take a seat, twirling his hands in front of him. Could it really be that simple? Could he, Seth Cohen, who had never had a girlfriend before really just be friends with the two girls he liked so much, who liked him so much?

"Nah, it'll never work," Ryan muttered after a moment.

"What – Ryan, whaddya mean it'll never work?" Seth was perplexed.

Twirling his cereal around again before taking a bite and swallowing, Ryan cracked a small grin. "I forgot for a moment who we were dealing with. Summer and Anna? Definitely don't want to just be friends."

"Ryan, sometimes I hate you. That means I _have_ to choose. But who?"

"Well, you've always liked Summer."

"And this is true."

"But Anna's into some of the same stuff as you."

"As is that. Oh drat."

Ryan stood, rinsed his bowl off in the sink and set it in the dishwasher. "You're just going to have to decide which girl you like more. You already know someone's feelings are going to be hurt, so decide who you can't possibly stand to hurt. Which girl means more to you."

"That must be the most words you've ever strung together into a coherent sentence I've ever heard from you," Seth said after blinking a few times. "I'm going to meditate."

As soon as Seth stepped into his room he collapsed on the bed. A quick roll brought him near the edge, so he reached over and grabbed the first comic that came to his fingers from the bedside table. He held it in his hands, feeling a small smile tug at his mouth. Who would have thought a few pieces of paper could hold all of his answers.

Without another thought, Seth Cohen pulled out his cell phone and dialled a number. While he waited for an answer, Seth cursed himself for not seeing the answer all along and for the trouble his puzzlement had caused.

Another tense moment, and the phone picked up at the other end. "Hello?"

* * *

I'm not giving up on my other story, but this demanded attention after watching the OC on DVD. Seth was irritating me. 


	2. Positive Consequences

As usual, none of this is mine, just the concept.

I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews. They're awesome.

* * *

Chapter 2: Positive Consequences

* * *

"Hi, Summer," Seth Cohen breathed, barely able to speak anymore. It had taken him every moment since what he and Ryan had termed as 'The Ultimatum' to decide what he would do, but his answer had come in a stranger form. Well, not so strange, but considerably Seth-like. Sitting on his desk, beside the computer, sat two comics. One, the one he'd been given for Chrismukkah from Anna, and the other a simple Wonder Woman and Captain America. 

"Oh, Seth," Summer Roberts replied, realizing her caller's identity. Seth still marveled at everything that had happened since Ryan had come along, but nothing more so than how he'd come to know Summer and how she'd come to _like_ him.

Seth lay back on his bed and looked at the ceiling, handling his cell phone with his right hand. "Um, yeah. I was wondering if you'd like to meet somewhere. Go for a walk, meet at the pier, I dunno, maybe go for dinner?"

"Are you asking me on a date?" Seth couldn't tell if she sounded wistful or resentful, even if there was a considerable difference.

"That's kind of what I want to talk to you about. Could we just meet somewhere?"

"Sure. At the pier, ten minutes?"

Seth nodded to himself before realizing Summer couldn't see his action over the phone. Incompetent technology. "That works. See you soon."

It was actually _twelve_ minutes later when they met down by the pier, out in the omnipresent sunshine. Seth was twiddling his thumbs together, staring out to the Pacific. Having arrived several minutes earlier, he had begun to fear Summer was standing him up, even when he realized she had proposed the location of their rendezvous. But, sure enough, she arrived just moments after they'd decided.

Seth was still staring out to sea when Summer approached him, dressed in a floral pattern summer dress. He didn't seem to notice her presence, so she tapped his shoulder lightly. "Seth? Sorry about being late, but I was talking with my father."

"Oh," Seth said, turning around and smiling. "No problemo."

They regarded each other for a few moments, each fidgeting to stifle the awkwardness. Summer thought he was choosing Anna, Seth thought Summer'd reject him anyway after all this time. Seth's mind was a flurry but he was trying to calm it. Now that Summer was here, Anna had completely flown the coop – well, from his mind at least. That summer dress she was wearing accentuated her form perfectly, her dark hair was rippling in the coastal breeze. Even from where Seth stood, he could detect her perfume.

Seth tried to laugh off the awkwardness to focus himself to the duty at hand. "Now that I've got you here this is a little more difficult than I'd thought."

"Well just say it, 'cause I'm not going to mope around for long, and I especially don't want to see you around with _her_," Summer chirped with a definitive frown on her face.

"Her?" Seth asked, more confused than his expression could convey. What was she talking about?

"You know who I mean, Cohen," she remarked, noticing Seth's confused look. "Anna."

"Summer," he replied, taking a few steps forward so they were just a few inches away. Seth took her not flinching or stepping away as something to be happy for. "I didn't bring you all the way out here to tell you I'd chosen Anna."

She frowned again, setting her hands on her hips. For a moment, Seth remembered her suffering from rage blackouts. "Then why _did_ you get me all the way out here? You want to be friends or something, even though you're with Anna?"

"No, Summer," Seth snapped. "I asked you to come out here because I wanted to tell you that I was choosing you!"

The brunette blinked a few times. Summer's mouth started working, as if she was going to say something, but nothing came. "So, uh, what now?"

"I don't know," Seth replied.

"You could, like, kiss me. You know, our first kiss as a couple, if that's what we are."

"Uh-huh," Seth murmured as he moved in and brushed Summer's lips with his own. "You know, you're all I ever wanted."

Summer blinked up at him. "You're really sweet, Seth."

"Wait, did you just call me Seth? Not Cohen?"

She smiled. "Cohen didn't seem to match the mood."

They kissed again, gradually making their way to their cars and tailing each other to the Cohen's.

Summer Roberts broke off, fighting to catch her breath. It didn't help that Seth Cohen was above her, perched and trying to catch her lips with his. She couldn't believe this was happening. Like she was totally dating Seth Cohen. That had to be, like, social suicide! Or maybe she could make him cooler. Doubtful.

"You realize this might be kind of weird, right?" Summer murmured after a while.

"I, Seth Cohen, am dating you, Summer Roberts," he replied, grinning like a fool. "What could _possibly_ be weird about that?"

It wasn't particularly sweet, but Seth's candid honesty and way with words seduced her more than any other thing could. Summer flashed him a small smile – not the fake on she used around her 'friends', but one that only Seth Cohen commanded. It was the kind of smile that only came out when you were completely comfortable around someone, when you didn't care what others were thinking, when you gave on hundred percent.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, touching his lip with her delicately manicured fingers.

Seth's face contorted in a look of confusion, but his trademark 'Seth Cohen wry grin' was pasted all over. "For what? Did I do something worthy of thanks?"

"You cared," Summer replied, her voice uncharacteristically soft.

"Of course I care," Seth murmured, laying a hand comfortingly on her stomach. "You're the most important thing in my life, Summer; it's been that way for years."

It was Summer's turn for facial contortions. She screwed her nose up, still glancing up at him with rapt fascination. "But why?"

"Because you're you."

Summer raised an eyebrow, Seth laughed.

"Well, the way you looked after that squirrel, your mermaid poem, how you don't really care about what people think; jeez Summer, just everything about you."

"I was such a bitch to you, how could you still like me?"

"Because I like you that much. Isn't that enough?"

She nodded sullenly, but perked up when Seth's lips began their rhythmic caressing of hers. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her hands found his dark curly hair. "You're really cute, you know that?"

"Cute enough to be seen with you at school?"

Summer frowned. "Don't push it, Cohen."

"What kind of relationship will this be if you don't even acknowledge my presence? If I'm good enough for you, shouldn't I be good enough for your friends?"

Another raised eyebrow.

"Good point, your friends aren't the kind of people I want to be good enough for," Seth muttered, Summer laughing at his external monologue. "But seriously, Sum."

"It'll just take some time, Cohen," Summer murmured to his ear, pulling him close for a hug. "I promise."

Seth grinned. "You promise on... what exactly?"

"Princess Sparkles."

"Huh? Who?" Seth was totally discombobulated.

Summer blushed. "Uh, nothing."

"No, you distinctly said 'Princess Sparkles'," he reprimanded. "Who is Princess Sparkles?"

"No one!"

"Summer…"

"Damn you, Cohen," she muttered. "She's a plastic horse."

Seth gasped, pulling Summer into a tight hug. "It's like Captain Oats and Princess Sparkles were meant for each other, just like we are!"

Summer looked at her new boyfriend quizzically. "Is there a cure for what you have?"

"No," he chided, nuzzling her neck. "But you bring out the best in me."

"Is that what they call this?"

"Yup."

Summer shook her head before leaning up and pressing her lips to Seth's. "Let's just resume the making out, please."

"As ordered, ma'am," Seth retorted, before leaning back down to return to the previous broadcasting.


End file.
